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6 of smgin. HISTORY FRANKLIN COLLEGE. CLASS OF 1823. Thos. N. Beall camo to College in 1819, frcm Oglethorpe county, where he then resided; be was a member of the Demosthenian Society. After graduation, he moved to Monroe co., and was a practising lawyer there. He was a delegate from that county, to the “ Internal Improvement Con vention” which convened in Milledge villein 1831; also, to the “Great Anti tariff” Convention of 1832. Gen. Jamos N. Bethune, was also a Demosthenian ; he came to College from Greene county; in 1825, he was elected Solicitor Gen’l of the South ern Circuit; he was also elected Bri gadier General by the Legislature.— For sometime, he was connected with the press of Columbus, in which city he now resides. Norman L. Chester came to Col lege from Groton, Connecticut; he was a member of the Demosthenian Society. Upon the graduation of his class, be spoke the Greek Saluta tory. After leaving College, he taught school some time at Lexing* ton, Ga.; afterwards, he became a practicing physician ; he lived in, or near Marietta, after leaving Lexing ton; he died either during or just af ter the late war. William B. Cobb, a member of the Phi Kappa, was sent to the Univer sitp from Columbia county; he has been dead a number of years. George Foote joined the ministry a few years after leaving his alma mater. James A. Frierson entered College, coming from Maury county, Tenn. Dr. John H. Gray, prior to enter* ing College, resided in Abbeville, S. C.; he graduated with the Latin Sa lutatory. When a Junior, ho was elected to one of the positions from tbo Phi Kappa Society, to speak on Tuesday night of the Commencement of 1822. After graduation, bo be* came a Presbyterian minister, and had the degree of D. D. conferred on him, not by bis alma mater, but by some other institution. About 1850, ho became President of a College at LaGrange, Tenn. Judge Iverson Louis Harris is de scended from Welch and French an*, cestry ; his father was Augustin Har ris, of Virginia, and his mother was the granddaughter of John Lewis, the contemporary and friend of Pa trick Henry. Judge H. was the only son of bis parents that reached the age of ten ; ho was born in Clarke county, Ga., about a mile from Wat kinsville, on the Athens road, in 1805. His father moved to Milledgeville in 1807, The subject of this notice, un- THE GEORGIA COLLEGIAN. derwent his course of iraining in the very indifferent schools near him, un til August, 1820, when he entered the Sophomore class in the University. In 1823, ho graduated without any of the honors conferred for scholar ship and strict observance of the laws of the institution. During the year 1824, withoutany instructor, he read the books requir ed for admission to the bar; and when he felt assured, from self ex amination, that he could pass the or deal, he applied for admission, and was examined for three hours by Judge Longstreet. Upon its conclu* sion, he was highly complimented, and admitted to practice in all the Georgia Courts. He then opened an office in Milledgeville In 1826-7-8 -’9 and '3O, he was the Reading Cl’k of the State Sonate. In 1831, he de feated the Hon. John A. Cuthbert for Secretary of the Senate ; and in '32, was re-elected. Afterwards, when party spirit ran high, being a States rights man, he was defeated, and re turned to his office. He was appointed by Gov. Gilmer to examine and revise Dawson’s Compilation of the Acts of the Lo* gislature. In 1836, being Judge Ad vocate of a military division, he re paired to head-quarters in Alabama, and remained in the service till the close of the Indian campaign. On his return, without any desire on his part, he was elected to the Legisla* ture, and there, under the leadership of Gordon and Jenkins, took an ac tive part in the establishment of the State Road, and had many valuable amendments made to the Judiciary system. In 1837, he was elected Senator, and there originated the es tablishment of the Lunatic Asylum at Milledgeville. When absent from the State, in 1838, he was elected, without his knowledge, commission er to carry out the Free Banking System just entered upon. This po sition he declined. In 1843, he sented to goon the bench of the In ferior Court, in order that he might strike from the Jury lists worthless men and cause a faithful application of the School fund, and the employ ment of competent teachers; having effected this, he resigned. In 1845 and '47, he was again elec ted to the House of Representatives, and participated in the establishment of the Supreme Court for the correc tion of Errors. In 1852, he was put upon the Scott electoral ticket for the State at large. In 1856, he was elected a Trustee of the University, and every Commencement, his face may be seen upon our stage, and his words of wisdom heard in the De* mosthenian Hall. Also, in 1856, ha ving refused to connect himself with the “ Kknow-Nothing” organization, he was, in compliment to the old line Whigs , put upon the Democratic elec- toral ticket for the State. In 1858, he declined the position of Codifier of the State laws, to which he had been elected. In 1859, he was ap pointed by Gov. Brown, Judge of the Superior Court of the Ocmulgeo Cir cuit to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of Judge Robert Harde man. In 1861, he was elected by the people of the Circuit to the same po sition, which he held till January, 1866, when he was elected by the Legislature to the Supreme Court, to fill the vacancy caused by the resig nation of Hon. Chas. J. Jenkins. On this Bench, he continued till 1868, when the present government was forced on the people of Georgia. Ha ving been all his life a thorough Statesrights man of the school of Jef ferson and of Troup, the war changed not a single principle of his faith. During tbe service of Judge Har ris, many great constitutional ques tions were discussed and decided—be almost invariably opposing the majo rity. The reader of these decisions will be at no loss to determine his status; upon them chiefly, his repu tation as a Judge will rest in after times. All admit, however else they may differ, that these decisions are able, marked by profound judicial thought, and eminently showing their author to be a learned Jurist, and an honest, independent Judge. John S. Lewis was born in Greene county, and from there came to Col lege. His stand was excellent; not only did he take the first honor, but also filled the position of Phi Kappa Anniversarian ; a thing that is very seldom done. Although he repre sented his county in the Legislature one term, he had no taste for politics, and would not mingle in them ; he wasa modest, retiring man, and had no desire to seek public positions. John C. Martin was the son of a Methodist preacher of Greene coun ty; he was a Phi Kappa; about 35 years ago he died. Thos. J. Meriwether, a Demostho nian, was the son of Gen. Meriweth er, of Clarke county. While in Col lege, he did not have a very enviable stand in any department except that of Mathematics, in which he was con sidored by far tbo best in College He has been dead for many years. William Roberts, from Abbeville, S. C., was a good student when in College. lie is also dead. John G. Rutherford came to Col lege from Baldwin county; he died about 1850. When his class was Ju« nior, he was elected one of the Phi Kappa orators for Tuesday night of Commencement. Dr. Richard T. Sanky, after leav ing Athens, took the degree of M. D. in the University of Pennsylvania.— He married tho sister of his class* mate, John S Lewis. He was an excellent practising physician up to the time of his death, about 1849. He was considered one of the most prominent and influential members of the Phi Kappa Society. Jas. Scott, who was very small of stature, lived near Athens. After graduation, he moved west, and be came a judge. Dr. James S. Sims lived in Athens ; he like most of his class belonged to tbe Phi Kappa society. For some time, he studied medicine under Dr. Henry Hull, of Athens; after which he attended a courso of lectures at Lexington, Kentucky. However, he took his degree at tbo University of Pennsylvania. Ho married a daughter of Judge John Moore, on May 19th, 1832. A man of ability, he has been a most successful physi* eian. Now living in Lexington, Georgia, be is very popular, and could have represented Oglethorpe county anywhere, but he has always avoided public life. Isaac W. Waddel, was born about 1805 or 6. In 1819 ho entered the Freshman class. Soon after gradua tion he became a Presbyterian min ister. In 1829 he preached in Wal* ker county, Georgia, after that in MacDonough. Ho married Miss Sarah Daniel of Green county. Most of his life was spent in Marietta, where he continuously preached till 1849, when he died. W. W. Waddell, was born in 1804. In 1819 he entered the Freshman Class. Both he and I W. Waddell, were members of tho Phi Kappa So ciety. Ho graduated in medicine at the University of Penn. Soon after this, he married Miss Louisa Hilliard, a sister of Hon. H. W. Hilliard of Augusta. He practiced medicine in Athens, Madison, and also Tallahas see. Ho stood at tho head of his profession, and was very famous as a physician. He died in 1843. Claiborne A. Watkins, then from Augusta, took a good stand in the Phi Kappa, having been elected to one of the Junior orator places in 1822. But he immediately resigned this position. He graduated in Med icine at the University of Pennsyl vania. Ernest L. Wittich, a Demosthenian, was a student of fair ability. H" became a local Methodist preacher, at Madison. For some years he was Clerk of the Court of Ordinary of Morgan county. He has been dead many years. To this class belonged Charles J. Jenkins, who has been a leading pub lic man nearly ever since his gradua tion. At one time defeated for Gov ernor by only 540 votes —at another, Judge of the Supreme Court, and then Governor of Georgia, at a time jLbat would try the purity of any man, yet he proudly passed through the violent commotions around him, with his integrity untouched.